Naperville Library Great Books Discussion Group

After each discussion people often say they learned and enjoyed the discussion even though they didn't fully understand or like the reading itself.

The format we use is called shared inquiry, developed by the Great Books Foundation. It prevents domination by one person, wandering off into topics not covered in the book and straying from civil discourse even though the topic might be political, religious or another hot topic.

One reason we attend is that reading great books exposes us to the best thinking of the ages. Discussing why Othello killed Desdemona in Shakespeare's play helped us better understand the destructive power of negative emotions.

All our time is spent discussing the selection itself.

Five books we loved: We can't come to an agreement on this. Shakespeare and the Greek tragedies have always been popular.

Up next: The Physics and World Philosophy chapter in "The Philosophy of Physics" by Max Planck.